An Action To Retain the Safety of Electrical Energy Transmission Lines

Whether it is enacted through the People from the Condition of Maine the following:

Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §122, sub-§1, ¶A-1 is enacted to see:

A-1. “Electromagnetic pulse” means a number of pulses of electromagnetic energy able to disabling, disrupting or destroying a transmission and distribution system.

Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §122, sub-§1, ¶C-1 is enacted to see:

C-1. “Geomagnetic storm” means a brief disturbance from the Earth’s magnetic field caused by solar activity.

Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §122, sub-§1-D, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 655, Pt. A, §2, is amended to see:

B. The deciding authority shall see whether a power infrastructure proposal is incorporated in the lengthy-term public interest from the Condition. For making that determination, the deciding authority shall, at least, think about the extent that the proposal:

(1) Materially enhances or doesn’t harm transmission possibilities for energy generation inside the Condition

(2) Is fairly prone to reduce electric rates or any other relevant energy prices or costs for residents and companies inside the Condition in accordance with the expected worth of individuals electric rates or any other energy prices or costs as well as the suggested energy infrastructure development

(3) Increases lengthy-term economic benefits for that Condition, including although not restricted to direct financial benefits, employment possibilities and economic development

(4) Ensures efficient utilisation of the statutory corridor through collocation of one’s infrastructure, collaboration between energy infrastructure developers and also the upkeep of choices for future uses

(5) Minimizes conflict using the public purposes that the condition-owned land or asset is owned and then any management plans for that land or asset inside the statutory corridor and, at the appropriate interval, mitigates inevitable impacts

(6) Limits and mitigates the results of one’s infrastructure around the landscape, including although not restricted to using subterranean installation when economically and technically achievable

(7) Boosts the energy reliability, security and independence from the Condition and

(8) Cuts down on the discharge of green house gases. and

(9) To have an energy infrastructure proposal that’s an electrical transmission line, limits electromagnetic field levels and ensures the security from the transmission and distribution system against damage from an electromagnetic pulse or perhaps a geomagnetic storm.

Sec. 4. 35-A MRSA §3131, sub-§1-B is enacted to see:

1-B. Electromagnetic pulse. “Electromagnetic pulse” means a number of pulses of electromagnetic energy able to disabling, disrupting or destroying a transmission and distribution system.

Sec. 5. 35-A MRSA §3131, sub-§3-B is enacted to see:

3-B. Geomagnetic storm. “Geomagnetic storm” means a brief disturbance from the Earth’s magnetic field caused by solar activity.

Sec. 6. 35-A MRSA §3132, sub-§2-C, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 309, §2, is amended to see:

2-C. Petition for approval of suggested transmission line. The petition for approval from the suggested transmission line must contain similarly info because the commission by rule prescribes, including, although not restricted to:

A. An account from the aftereffect of the suggested transmission line on public safety and health and scenic, historic, recreational and ecological values as well as the closeness from the suggested transmission line to lived on dwellings

B. Justification for adoption from the route selected, including comparison with alternative ways which are eco, technically and economically practical and

C. Outcomes of an analysis of options to construction from the suggested transmission line including energy conservation, distributed generation or load management.

D. An account from the design measures for use to safeguard the transmission and distribution system against damage from an electromagnetic pulse or perhaps a geomagnetic storm and

E. An account from the design measures for use to mitigate or minimize electromagnetic field quantity of a transmission line.

Sec. 7. 35-A MRSA §3132, sub-§6, as repealed and substituted with PL 2011, c. 281, §1, is amended to see:

6. Commission order certificate of public convenience and necessity. In the order, the commission shall make specific findings regarding the general public demand for suggested transmission line. Except as provided in subsection 6-A for any high-impact electric transmission line, when the commission finds that the public need exists, it shall issue certificates of public convenience and necessity for that transmission line. In figuring out public need, the commission shall, at least, consider financial aspects, reliability, public safety and health, scenic, historic and recreational values, condition alternative energy generation goals, the closeness from the suggested transmission line to lived on dwellings. electromagnetic field levels, protections against damage from an electromagnetic pulse or geomagnetic storm and options to construction from the transmission line, including energy conservation, distributed generation or load management. When the commission orders or enables the erection from the transmission line, an order is susceptible to other provisions of law and also the right associated with a other agency to approve the transmission line. The commission shall, as necessary as well as in compliance with subsections 7 and eight, think about the findings from the Department of Ecological Protection under Title 38, chapter 3, subchapter 1, article 6, with regards to the suggested transmission line and then any modifications purchased through the Department of Ecological Protection to reduce the outcome from the suggested transmission line around the atmosphere. You might submit a petition for and acquire approval of the suggested transmission line under this before you apply for approval under municipal ordinances adopted pursuant to Title 30-A, Part 2, Subpart 6-A and Title 38, section 438-A and, except as provided in subsection 4, before identifying a particular route or route choices for the suggested transmission line. Except as provided in subsection 4, the commission might not think about the petition inadequate to fail to supply identification of the route or route choices for the suggested transmission line. The issuance of the certificate of public convenience and necessity establishes that, by the date of issuance from the certificate, the choice by the pack leader to erect or construct was prudent. During the time of its issuance of the certificate of public convenience and necessity, the commission shall send to every town by which a suggested corridor or corridors for any transmission line extends another observe that the issuance from the certificate doesn’t override, supersede or else affect municipal authority to manage the siting from the suggested transmission line. The commission may deny certificates of public convenience and necessity for any transmission line upon a discovering that the transmission lines are reasonably prone to adversely affect any transmission and distribution utility or its customers.

Sec. 8. 35-A MRSA §3132, sub-§§15 and 16 are enacted to see:

15. Rulemaking. The commission, in consultation using the Department of Ecological Protection, shall adopt rules to recognize effective design measures for any transmission and distribution system to limit electromagnetic field levels and make sure the protection from the transmission and distribution system against damage from an electromagnetic pulse or perhaps a geomagnetic storm. The commission can include provisions within the rules that need a third party to ensure the design measures are integrated into the making of a transmission line.

Rules adopted under this subsection are standard technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

16. Penalties. The commission may impose penalties in compliance with section 1508-A when the design measures described under subsection 2-C aren’t integrated into the making of a transmission line.

Sec. 9. Implementation. The General Public Utilities Commission shall adopt rules underneath the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 3132, subsection 15 within 6 several weeks from the effective date of the Act. Around the effective date from the adopted rules, notwithstanding any provision of law on the contrary, an individual setting up a transmission line that was already authorized by the commission but hasn’t yet been finished must incorporate design measures to safeguard the transmission and distribution system against damage from an electromagnetic pulse or perhaps a geomagnetic storm and mitigate or minimize the electromagnetic field quantity of a transmission line.

This bill needs a person submitting a petition towards the Public Utilities Commission for that purpose of getting a certificate of public convenience and necessity for creating a transmission line to incorporate an account of design measures for use to limit electromagnetic field levels and make sure the protection from the transmission and distribution system against damage from an electromagnetic pulse or perhaps a geomagnetic storm. The balance also necessitates the commission to think about electromagnetic field levels, electromagnetic pulse protections and geomagnetic storm protections when figuring out the general public requirement for a transmission line.

This bill adds similar needs for that deciding authority, when figuring out whether a power infrastructure proposal is incorporated in the lengthy-term interest from the Condition, to think about electromagnetic field levels and electromagnetic pulse and geomagnetic storm dangers.

The balance directs the general public Utilities Commission, in consultation using the Department of Ecological Protection and within 6 several weeks from the effective date of the Act, to consider routine technical rules to recognize effective design measures to limit electromagnetic field levels and make sure the protection from the transmission and distribution system against damage from an electromagnetic pulse or perhaps a geomagnetic storm.

Finally, the balance requires any transmission line presently being built upon the effective date from the rules to include design measures to limit electromagnetic field levels and make sure the protection from the transmission and distribution system against damage from an electromagnetic pulse or perhaps a geomagnetic storm.